The 10 Best Electric Cars In The World Right Now

For those considering ditching gas power, there is a growing range of electric cars to choose from. Manufacturers are taking into account what users want from an electric vehicle in terms on not only performance and money-saving but also looks. There are some stunning models out there right now…you might find it hard to choose!

1: The Opel Ampera: This truly “green car” is a revelation in terms of its engine…or should I say “engines”. There are two, the electric motor powering the gas engine so you can drive for a distance of around 50k on electricity alone and then another 482 on fuel. For short commutes this is ideal. The Opel Ampera’s battery lasts a good while thanks to the liquid cooling system which extends its life and heats it during cold weather. The seats are made from recycled soy foam and reused plastics…without a doubt this is an innovative car for the future.

Opel Ampera. Image Credit Opel Blog.

2: The Nissan Leaf: This all-electric vehicle will run for around 161km on a single charge but this can be slightly misleading as it really depends on the climate. You can charge the Nissan Leaf at home in around 8 hours with a home charging dock or with a fast charger in around 30 minutes. There is no petrol usage with the Nissan Leaf so there are no emissions at all. The design of the Nissan Leaf is amusing and has a distinct face-like grille.

3: The Ford Focus Electric: This car does not have a gas engine and boasts a 161km range. Liquid cooled rather than air cooled battery means that life is prolonged and is charged in around 6 hours. Quirks such as the dashboard system featuring animated butterflies to indicate your driving performance make this a fun car to use.

The Ford Focus Electric. Image Credit: Ford France

4: Coda: The Coda EV has a number of attractive features although it looks pretty bog-standard. The range is around 145km under average conditions which is a little less than the Leaf. This car uses a 6.6 kilowatt charge and takes about 3 hours to power up.

5: Mercedes Benz SLS AMG E-Cell: This electric car outstrips all others in terms of performance. It has a 420 kw, 571 horsepower engine and can accelerate to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds. The battery is massive and has a 400 volt capacity.

6: Honda Fit Electric: This advanced care has a special key-fob which shows the range of the car and whether it is currently charging. It also has three modes for driving and eco mode to stop acceleration occurring too suddenly in addition to a sporty mode – something we really like here.

7: Aptera 2 e: This car is unusual in that it is extremely lightweight. Weighing in at only 816 kilos due to being constructed from composite materials it is also extremely efficient. This will run for around 160km on one charge and takes around 8 hours to charge up.

8: Volvo C30 Electric: This has some great features and is intended mainly for urban use. It has a range of around 145km for commutes and unusually, has a plug in located by the front grille.

Volvo C30 Electric. Image Credit: Antony Towle

9: The Wheego LiFe: This is one of the cheapest around and costs around twenty thousand pounds. It’s small and has two seats; running on about 160k on one charge it takes only 5 hours to fully load up and runs on smaller 115 volt lithium batteries.

10: The Tesla Roadster 2.5: The good looking firstall round electric sports car has a 288 horsepower engine and an enormous battery…the 56 kilowatt hour battery offers a range of almost 400km. This is undoubtedly an extremely cool and sporty looking car.

With a choice like this and more to come, electric is garnering more attention than ever before and people who previously would never have considered driving an electric car are now giving it some real thought thanks to low prices, good looks and even better performance.